Disclaimer: Argh! Do I really have to say this again? I don't own it, none of it, well except Riley and now Mackenzie and Summer. If you really think that I do own the Harry Potter series then where have you been for the last ten years? J.K. Rowling owns them. Duh! Geeze I thought everybody knew that.

A.N.: Hey everybody. Whew that took a long time. I rewrote it because the first version really really really sucked. Not kidding, it was terrible. Anyway I made some changes to how I originally saw this chapter in my head but I really like it now. It's kind of an angsty chapter so read with caution. But anyway sorry about the long wait. Been really busy lately. But now its Christmas vacation so I should have a lot more time to write. Well I guess that is if I finish reading To Kill A Mocking Bird before Christmas. Can you believe that my English teacher is making us read that entire book over Christmas vacation?? Man talk about scrooge and a half! That book has about a billion chapters and it is soooooo boring! It might just drive me crazy. lol. Well anyway sorry about the ranting and here's the chapter. Enjoy and please review. I haven't got one I a while and I really really want one. Peace out.

Chapter 6

Sirius sat for a long time under the cursed moon, confusion washing over him like the waves of the lake crashing upon its shores. He didn't understand it. How could he? What the hell had she been talking about? How could she hurt him? How could she kill him, for God's sake? He couldn't answer any of the thousands of questions rushing through his mind. It gave him a head ache just replaying the scene over and over again let alone trying to find a plausible answer to the complicated new questions he had about her. He felt like he didn't really know her even after the countless of stories they had shared of their childhoods and families. But Sirius knew that those stories told of his youth had concealed much more than they told and he feared Riley's stories did the same.

Why did she fear love, or was that even what she feared? Like all the other questions swarming in his head like a group of bees in a frenzy, Sirius could not answer this, but it stood out to him. Like a rogue flower, stained with the red color of death, in a field where all its brothers remained the content color of jovial pink, this question caught his attention. What was she really afraid of? How could he ever know? Her past, darker than his own, was a daily haunting and he had no idea why. What fear did her days long past hold?

Then a sudden new thought conjured in his head. She was not alone in her fear, her dark past, her hurt. She was not alone in facing the cruelty of the world. So why then did she let that shadow of past days linger and manipulate her so? Had her life really been worse than his own, which gripped pain and tears and torture and an ever burning but unreachable desire to better himself and become accepted in the eyes of a cruel people? He didn't know, but he did know that he bore the scars of a brutal past, but that was all they were, scars of a past life, something to be forgotten and never looked upon again. But she still bore her wounds fresh for she gave them no chance to heal. She bore the wounds too proudly and let her days that should be forgotten consume her future and desires. Why was she entitled to such a cause? To draw sympathy for herself from those who could not see through her guise? To draw pity and compassion from fools?

He found a comforting anger in these thoughts. It seemed to ease his ache and confusion to be angry at someone, anyone, Riley. He wanted to be angry, to shout and to kick and to punch something with all the strength he could muster. But he encaged these desires with another thought, the truth. He couldn't be angry at her. He knew her and her fate far to well to be bitter. He had suffered, but he deemed that she had seen a far greater glimpse of the malice of the cold earth than he had ever had to endure. She feared something, that he knew, but he guessed she knew something as well, something he didn't know, something she didn't intend on letting slip. She chose to face her fear alone and independently, as her father had before her. But his mistakes had cost him his life, would hers do the same?

Sirius didn't know this about her father. Riley never spoke about him, or her mother. What little he knew about her family was what she had told tell of upon their first introduction. Her parents were dead and only she and her sister remained. Mackenzie remained. He had told long tales of her as Riley loved her dearly. More dearly than any other did she love and care for her younger sister. Mackenzie had only seen eight very short years of the world's harshness. Sirius guessed that though she may not have been spared the cruel fate dealt to both her and Riley, she seemed to have endured it diligently or perhaps only naively. Her appearance shone vividly in his head. Her golden hair and deeply beautiful blue eyes, so unlike her sister's, and the mischievous yet innocent smile that was ever etched on her face. He had seen the many pictures Riley kept of her and had read some of the many letters that connected the pair thought hundreds of miles lay between them. He knew that if anything happened to this dear child, the wounds Riley bore would be likely to tear open again and never see the day that healing would come upon her.

He finally stood, dazed, confused, wondering the feelings of Riley and hoping they would find a way to rekindle their friendship. He stooped, not minding the cold Halloween night chill despite not having any protection against it, and picked up a smooth rock nestled in the shallow sand. He ran his hands over its flat faces and with a last look up at the moon shining haughtily overhead he cast the rock into the immeasurable depths of the lake for the water to consume. He turned toward the castle and made for his unmade and unfriendly bed and he knew he would sleep little that night.

Remus woke the next morning to see Sirius sprawled messily in his bed. His blankets had been kicked to the floor and a single red sheet was wrapped about him. Remus smiled as he caught the slight appearance of dark bags under his friend's eye. He guessed Sirius and Riley had had a late night after leaving the dance early. He, Summer, James and Lily had known for a long time that the pair had been falling for each other, even since the moment they had first met. Remus guessed that the secret they kept only from each other had come out the night before and the couple had enjoyed a round of playful snogging or such things. He smiled to himself as he dressed and went down to breakfast. He decided not to wake Sirius as he was sure they would hear all about the fun had the night before soon enough.

So Sirius woke alone. Thought the sun, unusually bright for the time of year, flowed into the room and gave off a cheery warm glow, Sirius felt oddly cold. He pulled the sheet wound tightly about his waist up over his exposed chest in an attempt to find warmth from the cool chill that lingered in an uncertain place. His night had been spent in a sleepless sequence of pacing, a slight habit of his while thinking, and wondering the events passed and the many questions that had not leaked out of his mind through the course of the night. The cycle though had been broken by heated debates in his mind about whether to go in search of Riley. He found himself many times heading for the door and stopping only when his hand reached the knob and his mind reached the decision not to go to her yet. He wanted desperately to talk to her and apologize and perhaps get and explanation. The latter he guessed would not be a reality but just to be able to know that their friendship was not lost would be a great comfort to his heart which had gotten its first taste of what he suspected was heart break. As morning and the light with it approached, sleep finally took its hold on him and he fell into a restless slumber and tossed until long passed the time Remus awoke.

He dressed quickly and headed down the twisting stairway into the nearly empty common room in an attempt to escape both the solidity of the dormitory and the words of Riley echoing in his head. The large clock on the opposite wall told him that it was nearing noon and he figured that the school would be gathering for the second meal of the day in the great hall shortly. So he left the Gryffindor tower by means of the concealed portrait hole and walked slowly through the many hallways not really heeding his feet and trusting them to lead him.

When he pulled himself from his thoughts he saw another figure looking as though she wasn't paying a great deal of attention to where she was walking either. In fact it looked as though she was going to walk into the wall opposite her. Despite the occurrences a few hours prior Sirius smiled slightly as he watched Riley ahead of him miss the corner and walk straight into the wall ahead. She muttered something about damn walls and watching where they are going before she realized there was another present.

When she turned around their eyes met for a brief moment. Sirius would have sworn he saw a slight smile cross her face quicker than a flash of lighting but when he blinked it was gone. He knew he had seen something though and he was sure that if she had not actually been smiling then there must have been something in her eyes that told that she was not angry but sort of pleased to see him. That gave Sirius a slight mounting confidence and he grinned at her.

"You didn't just see that did you?" she asked with a slight groan which he was quite sure was fake.

"Yeah," he replied walking over and helping her to her feet. "Very graceful."

"Thanks. I know," she replied.

Sirius was surprised at how normal things seemed. He would have guessed that she would be angry at him but she seemed to be acting as if nothing had happened at all. Sirius couldn't really tell if he was happy about this or upset. They were friends again but did he really want to be just friends? And how could she just shrug off what happened like it was nothing? Hadn't they both confessed that they were more than just friends or wanted to be? And now it was as if they were pretending nothing had happened. He didn't push the subject thought. He guessed there would be time enough later to discuss the happenings of the night before. He was contented to know that they were still speaking to each other.

"Going down to lunch?" he questioned. Things still seemed slightly tense and Sirius was sure they were talking much politer than they would have normally been.

"Yeah," she replied. "I'm starving."

"Me too," Sirius said his appetite, which wasn't all that great before, growing. "Let's hope James hasn't got to the table yet. There won't be much left if he has."

"Yeah," she agreed as they descended the stairs one floor above the great hall.

A stiff silence followed that and Sirius and Riley walked passed the Charms class room uncomfortably. It was so weird to be with Riley and not be joking around or laughing stupidly at something. He wished then that the night before had never happened because he realized that things wouldn't go back to the way they were. If every time they were together it would be silent and tense he wished that he had never told her he loved her because loving someone and not being able to love them openly is worse than not loving them at all.

As the marble stairs that led into the entrance hall were disappearing behind them Sirius decided to break the stifling silence. "Riley, last night-"

"I know, I was stupid," she replied cutting him off.

"No," he protested, "I meant me. I'm sorry. But I was confused, I am confused. I have no idea what you meant at all last night. But I'm sorry."

"For what?" she questioned. "You shouldn't be sorry. It was my fault. I know you're confused, but so am I. I can't really explain right now. I just really can't commit myself to you Sirius when I'm so uncertain about my own future. I told you I don't want you to get hurt. I told you I love you and I do more than you know. Isn't that good enough?"

"Good enough?" he retorted loudly. What she said did not give him any sort of an explanation but fueled his confusion. How could she ask if it was good enough for her to love him without being committed and openly sharing their love? "How could it be good enough? I love you Riley. Don't you understand that? That means I want to be with you and hold your hand and kiss you and whisper things in your ear. Is that not good enough for you? Do you know how long I have loved you and wanted to tell you? Do you really know what love is because I love you Riley and if you don't love me then…"

They had stopped in their descending and stood ten steps from the bottom where the few scattered student that had not yet gone to lunch stood and stared opened mouth at the couple towering over them. Riley herself gazed at Sirius opened mouthed. Her eyes held hurt but on her face was etched anger. He could see his words had hurt her and he almost instantly regretted them.

"Look you don't know." Her voice echoed the anger and fierceness that his shouts had accomplished but she spoke hardly above a whisper. Also present in her soft tone though was a sorrowful note of pain mingled with regret. "You can't know. Do you think you have suffered? Well you have to live in my shoes to see what hell really is. I said no because I love you too much Sirius. I don't want to see you hurt. I have seen too many people I love hurt. You think you know what love is? Well you can't know what love is until it has been taken away. You have never lost anybody you love. You can't know what it is like to be alone and hopeless and heartbroken. So don't tell me what love is because I know all too well the hurt hidden beneath love."

Sirius scanned her expression which did not waver but remained strongly intact and ever fierce upon her face. His own expression had fallen into a look of regret and apology. He knew that she had a reason and even if he didn't know it he knew of its validity. Ignoring the staring faces of those below he uttered his apology sincerely in an attempt to save their dying friendship and chance at the love which his heart longed for. "Riley I really don't know what happened to you? I'm really sorry, but why can't you tell me. Maybe I could help. What is going on?"

She shook her head. "No. You can't help. I need to face this alone." Her cold voice had subsided and she looked straight into his eyes as if trying desperately to show his the seriousness of her words. "I didn't lie Sirius. I do love you. But you can't help, no one can. No one knows. But I promise that when this is done I can be with you, but I don't know what that will be. I promise I love you."

"When what is done?" he asked desperately trying to know what it was that kept them apart.

She shook her head. "You can't know. You can't help Sirius. Stop trying to play the hero. Just promise me what I promised you."

"What?" he asked softly not really noticing that he took her hand in his own.

"That you love me too. And not just love me but really and truly love me with all of your heart," she replied already knowing his answer.

"You know I love you Riley, really truly with all of my heart and mind and strength. But why can't we be together then?"

"Not now but someday."

"I know," he replied trying to make himself contented with this promise from her. A long silence followed theses words before he spoke again. All eyes in the hall were turned up toward the emotional scene taking place above them. Sirius did not heed these curious faces though and spoke again not understanding any of what Riley had told him but also not wanting to lose her forever. "But we can still be friends right?"

She smiled then and not just any smile but the same sort of cocky and playful smile she had worn before any of this had ever happened. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

He smiled in return. "Shall we go to lunch then?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I think if we wait much longer then we might find that James has eaten everything."

Then looking down at the audience they had attracted, they linked arms and walked happily but slightly jokingly down the stairs and passed the stunned faces into the great hall. As they walked passed Jeffery Laine he smiled widely and said, "Lovely performance, very dramatic. A bit like a soap opera wasn't it?"

"Sure Laine," Sirius replied and they continued on their way as he smiled after them.

When they reached their usual seats at the Gryffindor table they saw that their joking fears of James were not true as he was no where to be seen. In fact only Remus and Summer were present and both wore forlorn and foreboding looks. Riley and Sirius' faces fell as they reached their somber friends sitting alone in silence as the room around them was full of the cheer and talk that they lacked.

"What's wrong?" questioned Sirius concernedly. "Has something happened?"

"Yeah," agreed Riley. "Where's Lily and James?"

Remus looked at Summer beside him who did not give him a comforting look as there was no comfort in the news they were about to give. He slowly as if procrastinating pulled a letter from his pocket and held it in his hand for a long time before making his mind up.

"This came with the post this morning," he elaborated on the envelop that he held purposely so they could not read the name. "Lily received one too and she is with James. They are from her mother. Something has happened." As he spoke it looked as if with each word there was a sharp stab of remorse jabbed into his kind heart but he continued diligently knowing painfully what would happen once Riley had read the horrendous words enclosed inside the envelope.

He reluctantly held it out to her and she nervously grabbed it. Sirius watched her read the name scribbled on the front in what would have been neat writing but seemed to be scrawled down quickly and with a slightly shaking hand. She slowly ripped it open and unfolded it even slower.

Sirius helplessly watched her eyes scroll back and forth across the page. With each new word her eyes seemed to widen farther and farther until being unable to stretch any more were satisfied to form tears in the corners. Riley hands also began to show the expected signs of deeply painful grief. They gripped the parchment tightly in leaving short gashes where her nails made contact and as the words she read began to penetrate her grieved brain they shook violently and the unfinished letter fell from her hands. She did not stoop to retrieve it but stared placidly at the wall opposite her at unawares to what was going on, where she was, or anything but the excruciating throbbing that was settling in her heart.

Sirius disturbed by her reaction and the somber affect that the single letter had caused on all his friends, quickly recovered the crumpled note from the floor and read for himself the terrible news it used to render its readers helpless and miserable. His own eyes quickly scanning the page only caught few of the words strung together to form a story that could tame even the cruelest heart.

It will be alright…don't do anything rash…arrangements…funeral…she was happy…quick and painless…dead, all dead…Mackenzie.

On the last word his heart froze. She was dead. Mackenzie, the dear child loved most by her sister, was dead. He too dropped the letter being more grieved than he had ever been before. Riley had been right about him. He had never seen any he loved die. Though he may not have been spared of cruelty he had been spared of pain of death. But she, she had had to endure it twice, more times than any should have to endure such pain. And as she stood Sirius knew that the grief that had settled in his heart from the shock of this news did not compare to that which had taken over the girl's that he loved so.

Riley shook now uncontrollably. Her eyes were fighting her mind and the tears that had formed where being restrained by all the strength she could muster. They looked forlorn and hopeless as they stared at unawares past the wondering eyes that watched her abrupt change in composure. Her voice had been lost some where deep in her throat and she could not speak at all. Sirius was sure that if she had been able to summon it, it would be screaming a note that would bring pain and sorrow to all present in the hall. Sirius watched her feeling just as helpless as she looked and knowing he could bring no comfort to her in her ultimate pain. He watched her face grow pale, her lost eyes blinking obliviously, and finally those same bleak eyes, falter and leak a single tear that held more sadness than anyone could deem.

Remus and Summer too sat unable to bring consol to their heartbroken friend and Sirius not knowing what else to do, but wanting desperately to do something, wrapped his strong arms lovingly around her. At first she didn't seem to notice but then seeing his comforting and caring face she settled into his shoulder and let the long held tears stream slowly down her face and onto it as she did the night before. As he held her, he noticed that her breathing was heavy and deep and her heart beat fast and painfully. She shook violently and he held her tighter in an attempt to control her body which she seemed to have lost rule of. He whispered comforting words in her ear but he was unsure if she heard or not and knew they would bring no comfort. He stroked her head and let her pain fill his own body. It was like a wave crashing upon the rocks with a force that could bring them crashing down into the depths of the dark lashing water where they would be engulfed and not seen again. It was unbearable and agonizing and Sirius could not imagine how the harshness of this death was eating Riley away from her heart outward.

Finally becoming aware of the room around them, he noticed the numerous pairs of eyes that watched them closely. Prying and curious and gossipy eyes gawked stupidly at the pair not heeding or caring about the horrendous tragedy that had just befallen them. A slight anger filled Sirius at the sight of so many compassionless people. Girls jealously looked up at him with lustful longing to be in the place of Riley not knowing the cold touch of pain and death that consumed her. Haughty boys gazed at he pair and at the jealous faces of the girls and being filled with a deep and ignorant envy not knowing anything that had taken place. Sirius was disgusted at the eyes that stared up at him. Not one person in the room truly knew what pain was but they could sit arrogantly and judge him and Riley without having even a tiny shard of knowledge about either of those who they evaluated. He looked around appalled at the sight and decided then to leave to room and their fellow students to their vicious gossip and rumors.

He gently took Riley's hands in his own and led her toward the door. He gave Remus and Summer a quick nod and they returned it understandingly. Slowly they walked down the isle of inquiring faces, ignoring them all and returned through the great door into the entrance hall. It was deserted and Sirius took Riley to the bottom stair of the great marble case and helped her to sit gently. He took her once more in her arms and began to rock her tenderly.

They sat for a forever immeasurable frame of time. Neither could ever remember how long it was as both were so consumed by their own thoughts. Sirius' dwelt on Riley while hers focused sole on Mackenzie. However both of their minds were filled with sorrow and distress.

As Sirius rocked Riley with a gentle unchanging movement he wondered the affect of this tragedy on her and her life. She was already so marred by her past of harshness and mercilessness and he was sure that this death would upset her deeply if not deepest. Could she ever return to normal, he wondered. Could she ever be given the chance to just be free of rule, free of despair, free of pain, free to be herself and uncontrolled by fate? As he wondered this though, he noticed her body becoming tense and rigid. Her tears too he noticed seemed to have subdued and dried themselves.

The thoughts running uncontrollably inside her head began to change. Though they did not stop with the painful memories, another thought became more prominent. Her mind began to become clouded with grief and loss of rationality and she could only think of one thing to do. She wanted to run. She needed to run. She could no longer sit and be held and consoled. She needed to be free to do what she had to. She needed to run out of the reach of Sirius, out of the confining doors, out on to the dying grass and cool air, where ever she pleased. Perhaps even she needed to run into the icy waters of the lake and sink forevermore to the bottom never to be seen again and never to have to feel the pain of life again.

She pushed out of the imprisoning grip of Sirius much to his surprise and alarm. He watched her jump to her feet before he could react and race across the vast hall. She pulled open the heavy doors as if it were an effortless feat and ran through them hair flowing behind.

For a few moments he could do nothing. He watched her back as she thudded down the stairs and out over the immense grounds. She ran smoothly and easily as if with each step she became free of a life of imprisonment. Sirius naively watched her, not deducing or knowing what she was about to do. He was confused and grieved and his mind was working slow, almost too slow, for he almost did not realize in time what harm she intended herself.

It came suddenly to him as he remembered the words of the letter. Don't do anything rash. Her train of thought became quickly all too apparent to him as he jumped to his feet and began to run with as much speed as he could muster. He saw ahead of him Riley nearing the shores of the lake too quickly as he ran. He was fast but so too was she. "Damn it!" he cursed loudly as the ground disappeared behind him. "What are you doing Riley?" The only thought now on his mind was getting to her and stopping her before she did the stupidest thing of her life. If he did not reach her in time she would be killing not only herself but him as well.

The shores were now near but with her lead Riley was already wadding into the deepening cold water.

"Stop!" he screamed frantically. "Don't do it!"

He had never been so desperate in all his life. He had never been faced with anything like this in al his life. He never wanted more than anything to hold Riley safe in his arms where she could be comforted and not want to cast herself into the infinite depths of the black lake and join those who had already left the merciless earth.

A new strength formed in him, not unlike that which had propelled him on a night one month prior where he had succeeded once already in saving her life. He found within a new strength and it drove him to hasten and race faster than ever had he deemed possible. He put on a new burst of speed and before he could adjust to it he was crashing distraughtly through the chilling water to the girl he loved with all his heart and mind and strength, who was already waist deep in the black waters.

"No!" he cried as he grabbed her hands. "No don't do it!"

He was nearly hysterical and panicked as he held her back, but his mind was clear enough to know what it had to do. Tears which had not stained his face since the days he hardly remembered, days of his youth and beating and pain, ran reluctantly and worriedly down his unnerved and desperate face.

"Oh God Riley, please don't do it." He spoke sadly not commandingly but held her back with all that he could muster. Neither noticed the icy chill lapping at their legs and freezing their bodies.

She stopped momentarily in her drive and turned to look at him. Her face was distressed but determined, pained but set in its decision. As Sirius looked into her eyes he could hardly keep from turning away as they were filled with so powerful an emotion. They were so sorrowful it was unbearable and it hurt him to look. Then like a spasm of fear and will to be free of imprisonment her face changed. It became hard and cold and she struggled hard against his tight grip. She cried out suddenly trying to pull her arms free.

"Let me go!" she screamed and her call echoed eerily through the empty grounds. "Let me go to Mackenzie!"

She struggled more and with each passing second her strength seemed to mount while his seemed to fail. He doubted whether he could hold her much longer.

"I have to!" she cried. "I have to go to her!"

She wretched one hand free of his fading grip and fought him off with a new triumph.

"You can't go to her," Sirius gasped desperately hanging on to her. "She's gone Riley."

"No!" she shouted in retaliation. "She needs me!"

"You can't bring her back," he said with more fear still. "She's gone Riley, she's gone… she's dead."

At the last word the battle stopped. Riley's strength waned like the moon as morning's light approached and she let her arm go limp in Sirius' grip. She let herself be captured by him once more and cried heartily into his shoulder again. She sobbed piercingly and let the complete grief of her heart run out into the suddenly sunless day about them.

"She was too young," she wept. "She can't be dead."

Sirius stroked her head and made a comforting shh in her ear. "I know it hurts but she's gone."

Riley then lifted her head and he saw her eyes once more full of rage and angst. She ripped her hands from around his neck and began to beat them heavily down upon his chest. "She is not!" she screamed once more. "She's not dead!" Each blow landed heavily and throbbed as she drummed loudly, but Sirius cared not. All that consumed his thoughts at the moment was the fact that she was still alive and safe. She continued steadily for a few moments before falling victim to her tears again. She fell uncontrollably to her knees but Sirius caught her gently. As tears streaked her face again he slowly helped her out of the freezing lake and they both settled onto the equally freezing shores.

He took off his damp sweater and wrapped it about her shoulders. He was sure it did little to stifle her chill but helped against the cool wind. He held her tightly again, wishing some sort of comfort, any sort, upon her. Neither spoke but the tears falling down Riley's face and clinging to her long eyelashes was talk enough. As they sat in somber silence they did not hear another approach their scene, but Dumbledore had his own ways of achieving stealth.

He did not speak instantly but watched them where they sat, head resting neatly upon his hands, half moon spectacles slightly cocked upon his very crocked nose. He smiled gently and sympathetically as he watched them. Love was deeply woven about them. Even he, as an old and weathered man, could tell, but there was a great force preventing it. Sirius may not have been able to see it, but he Dumbledore knew too well what had befallen Riley that very summer. In fact it had been on his command that she be instantly transferred to Hogwarts. He knew that even she did not know the danger that she was in.

As he watched his heart was filled with remorse at her loss, the sympathy which she needed and the empathy which she desired. He knew that fate had been cruel to her but he knew too that she didn't believe in petty fate. He loved Riley more than she could know as he had loved her father before her. He took it upon himself to see to her protection now that her father was gone, and only he knew how much she needed the protection he gave her.

He finally spoke, or rather cleared his throat loudly breaking the heavy silence that lay about the grounds. Riley jumped slightly in Sirius' grasp as she saw the newcomer seated silently upon a rock. Both stared up in a slight daze at the headmaster awaiting him to break the silence once more and wondering if even he, who was great among the greatest wizards, could bring any comfort or relief to this black cold day.

"First I must say how very sorry I am to hear of your loss, Riley," he said looking directly into her pained eyes. Sirius noticed that his eyes too seemed to hold a great grief in their deep wisdom.

Riley did not reply to this statement but Sirius got a feel as though now that Dumbledore had spoken the words of Mackenzie's death, the cold truth really settled in Riley's heart and mind and she finally believed that her sister was gone forever from the unforgiving earth.

"I know, perhaps more than most others, the bond you shared with her and the pain that would come along with the severing of that bond," he continued as neither of his listeners spoke. "She was too young and innocent to be taken from life but perhaps it was best as I fear that her days were filled with as much fright and pain as your own."

He stood and walked over to the couple seated on the ground. As he towered over them Sirius felt the ever recently common confusion drifting over him again. Dumbledore seemed to know something. He seemed to know a lot more about Riley and Mackenzie and their parents then he was letting on. Did he know what horrors were concealed n her past? Did he know why she refused the love that she swore she held? Did he know why she suffered?

The headmaster knelt and took Riley's silent face in his hands. As he spoke again he spoke directly to her as if they were the only two present, as if they had know each other much longer than two months and shared a connection much closer than headmaster and student. "She is gone Riley. I know it hurts, but she has gone on just as your father has. They are together now and can wander the paths of whatever death holds reunited and free. Do not do anything foolish and senseless over her death, your life is much too valuable to throw away in a reckless decision. There are others still who need you and love you. Don't forget about them. Don't throw aside love and friendship for they are two things in life more important than anything else."

He then straightened and stood again. He seemed more composed and returned again to being headmaster. But as he looked down at them the understanding and grief in his eyes and face did not disappear. "Tomorrow morning at 9:00 the Hogwarts Express leaves from Hogsmaede station. You and Lily have been excused from all of your classes and duties for however long you need. The funeral has been arranged by your aunt and uncle and will take place Tuesday afternoon if that is not too soon. I personally have made sure that you need not worry about anything in your grief. Please know how very sorry I am for this painful loss, how very dearly sorry I am."

He took a last sorrowful glance at Riley still wrapped miserably but tenderly in Sirius' arms, and without another word he turned and walked back across the grass toward the school.

Sirius watched his back growing smaller and his long deeply purple robes skim across the ground behind him. Suddenly he knew what he had to do. Looking at Riley quickly he let her go from his grip and climbed to his feet. He did not truly know how much damage the cold of the lake had done but soon realized its harm as he began to run after the head master. He shivered violently and his legs wobbled as he ran and he became suddenly aware of the chill that had spread through his body. But he ignored it as he ran after the Dumbledore calling out in attempt to halt the old wizard.

"Professor Dumbledore," he said slightly out of breath as he reached the head master. "I'm going too. She shouldn't go alone. I have to go with her."

Dumbledore smiled slightly at Sirius. He knew the love that had captured both their hearts and knew too the deep and strong power that love held within. But he knew most how love knew not separation and that to keep Sirius from going was to fight a losing battle. "Of course," he replied. "I thought that had been made clear. I think that Riley will need you to be with her as she is not in for an easy next few days. But I need you to watch over her, protect her as you have just done. I fear this tragedy may have pushed her too close to the edge, especially after the events of this summer. But I believe that as long as she is surrounded and reminded of the love that she has not yet lost she will be fine."

"What happened this summer?" questioned Sirius intensely wondering if this slip by Dumbledore held any answers to the countless questions etched in his head.

Dumbledore's face then changed. It was not angry but stern and even slightly worried. "I cannot tell you Sirius. I know you have questions but it would be best if you could put them aside for awhile. She loves you, Sirius, so much more than even you know. If you are patient she will come to realize that it will be best if you know. But until then I must respect what is hers to give. Go to her. She needs you now more than even she knows and remember that love is an infinite force, it cannot be broken or severed, it endures forever."

And with this last word he turned and left Sirius possibly more confused than Riley ever could.

A.N.: Well since it is the holidays and I love Christmas sooo much I have decided to respond to all of my lovely reviews. Thank you for them and please give me more.

Mistina: Genius? Really? Wow I am very flattered but I don't really think I am a genius. I mean you've hear many of the stupid things I say. I must be almost as bad as Tasia sometimes. lol. Hope she's not reading this. But thanks a lot! I think if you want genius you should read your own story. That is pretty genius to me.

I agree with the Baz Luhrmann thing though. That movie was terrible with a capital T!!!! Argh it was painful to watch! But I'm glad you liked my Marauderettes. Ideas come from the weirdest places don't they? I just saw the costumes as something that I could see James and Sirius doing and of course I couldn't leave Remus out. It's hilarious to picture him walking around in heels and a dress isn't it?

Also sorry about the prank on Remus. I promise that I won't be mean to him anymore. It just had to be someone and I figured that James was too much of a prankster himself to be plausible to him.

But to sum up thanks!

Xxxsapphiretearxxx: Thanks so much for the reviews! I am so glad you think Sirius and Riley are so cute. But just to tell you things are about to get a little darker between them but don't worry they totally are going to get together in the end.

Thanks for the heads up about the run-ons. They are my curse. And typos too. I've been trying to make sure I keep them to a minimum but I tend to miss them sometimes. Please forgive me and I'll keep trying to make my writing as error free as I can.

Also I'm so glad you didn't think my first chapter was cliché. It seems like almost every Marauders story has a scene like that in is doesn't it? But I kind of liked that idea and I just ran with it. I think it turned out okay though and I'm happy that you enjoyed it.

FuNnY cIdE: Hey sorry about the description but really you don't have to read them if you don't want to. I'm glad that you like the story in general though. Thanks for reviewing. Hey if you don't like the sappy dramatics be warned…there are many more where those came from. Hehehe. They are very fun to write. It's fun to write sappy stuff. It makes me laugh sometimes. lol anyways thanks and get to work with your story so I can make fun of it in my reviews. Just kidding.

Thanks everybody and Merry Christmas. I think the holidays are really getting to me. I'm very excited. Peace out.